Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Speaking freely

I'll apologize in advance, you'll see a slang word for excrement below. It's necessary.

Last night, I was practicing my Hebrew alefbet, ahead of the test today (I think I did OK, thanks for asking :) ). I was trying to pronounce ח (Chet), which has a gutteral CH sound (like CH in Bach). I was mumbling "hit, no, het, no , chit, no" and so on (I have trouble with the gutterals...) until I accidentally said "sh - no".

At this point, Little Miss, who has been writing the letters too, looks at me brightly and bursts out "You mean, sh*t". Well, I turn deathly pale, and both Number 1 Son and Milady, who have been watching the Bob Dylan film on PBS, burst out laughing and can't stop. This of course encourages Little Miss (what 5 year old wouldn't like an excuse to say bad words), who says it again. And again.

I'm stuck between trying to get them quiet and to stop Miss Potty Mouth. Finally, Milady stops laughing enough to remind Little Miss that no, it isn't that word, and to stop saying it.

Somehow I didn't think studying Hebrew would be quite so adventurous.

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